Atlantis: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[X304]

I'd like to preface this post with the fact that I do like Atlantis. It's nowhere near as good as SG1 IMO, but I will continue watching Atlantis unless it becomes so horrible as to be unwatchable. While it still has much of that "Stargate" feel, and it's obvious that SG1's creative team had a hand in it, I think Atlantis is flawed in many ways that make it markedly inferior to SG1.

First, the good:

Dr. Mckay is IMO the best character on the show. In SG1 he was annoying always going after Carter, but his character really grew in Atlantis. The comic relief he provides makes up for the absence of RDA. He's like a less annoying version of Harper from Andromeda.

Shepherd is starting to grow on me...He's almost becoming a clone of O'Neill though...trying to mix the humor in with the seriousness, but RDA still does it much better.

They really did a great job on the effects work...I like the look of the city, the new stargate, the whole idea of ships going through the gate is cool...

The writing for the episodes, so far, have been pretty good.

now, the bad:

The casting for Atlantis is IMO, mediocre at best..

I belong to the school of thought that believes they never should've replaced Jessica Steen with Torri Higginson...TH plays a very uninteresting Dr. Weir, while she might seem more cerebral, JS is a much more....charming...actress, and WAY better looking. I guess they didn't think they needed sex appeal here because TH is NOT attractive...she looks like my mom, and that's NOT a compliment. She's also not a good actress, she's dry and boring.

Lt. Ford is just TERRIBLE. He's a pathetic actor who doesn't look the part, nor does he do even a passable job as a so-called weapons expert. He's not even a flake of danruff on Chris Judge's new hair, IMO...and what kind of name is Rainbow Sun Franks?

The wraith are not at all scary, as advertised, nor are they original. They are a complete ripoff of Morlocks. They definitely don't hold a candle to the Goa'uld...It's hard to believe these dumb aliens knocked off the ancients...

Tayla does a good job being the sexpot, but a very poor job with the part...she's yet another terrible actress with sub-par talent. Why not Claudia Black in this part, she'd be perfect!

The ugly:

well, those wraith are just horrific of course, but having to look at TH as Weir for much longer is going to turn me to stone...yuck!

so far, I'd give Atlantis a 6/10...It could be better in the future if some of these actors stepped into their parts better...and maybe TH gets some plastic surgery...but for now it's just mediocre and certainly no SG1...

[Racer1441]

I too am not feeling the same link to SGA as I do to SG1, but i really do think that it has to do with the comfort level, atleast mine. I know SG1, so its comfortable. W/o knowing SGA, I always feel like i'm busy trying to soak it all in.

My Lists of the GOOD, BAD, and the Ugly...

GOOD:
1) I like the development so far. I am enjoying the link between Weir and Sheppard. They play off each other really well.
2) Who couldn't like Sheppard?
3) Weir. This is one person i really didn't think i'd like. I was afraid she was going to be too much of a touchy feely diplomat. Dont' get me wrong, she has this, but she also knows when to put that aside (Her scene with the rat scientist in 38 minutes).
4) The rest of the cast. They just seem to be good together. It's a chemistry thing i think.

BAD:
1) the Wraith. I don't like them now, but i think that'll change. So far they are too one dimensional. They are hungry. Their biggest modivation for attacking everything, destroying the ancients, and hunting down the atlantis team is the same modivation as a fat guy at the all you can eat bar at Denny's. It doesn't work for me. That being said, i know it'll change. The Goul'd didn't strike me as really deep at first, even through the first season of SG-1, but now they are very very deep.
2) Number of cast members. I'm waiting to see how they do with this. I fear that too many cast members makes it hard to really know any of them (see StarTrek w/ 7 cast members when it should be 5 strong regulars). Now if they focus mostly on 4 or 5 SGA team members and everyone else is supporting, this won't be an issue.

UGLY:

Don't really have any.

[Orce]

I like Stargate Atlantis but there are definitely a few flaws in it. Instead of doing the whole good, bad, ugly thing, I'll just tell you what I like and don't like. For one thing I think Tori Hgginson is a better Dr. Weir than Jessica Steen. A lot have said that she isn't attractive and though I disagree with you here is my reply. Since when did all major characters in a show have to be attractive? Then, there are people who say that she is boring. I really don't think so. She does what she is supposed to do. Not a very good actor? I think that she is a good actor. Some people say that her emotional scenes are not believable and they instantly say it;s bad acting. Just take into account her backround. Dr. Weir is a diplomat, and a negotiator. In that line of work, you can't let your emotions get in the way. So what some people think is bad acting is actually just how her character reacts to certain things. Don't woory, she'll get more emotional. Samantha Carter didn't be so emotional the first few episodes. All she was in the entire first season almost was a brainy person.

Moving on to Lt. Ford. I disagree with him being a bad actor. Why does the weapons expert on every show have to come off like Rambo? The's guys funny too. Trus me, the humor isn't coming just from McKay. And then you bash his name. Something he had no control over. Rainbow Sun Francks........hmmm sounds like a free spirit to me.

Sheppard is good. Never in any of the episodes has he ever come off as an O'Neil clone. His personality is different. It's true that he mixes in seriousness in with humor but he doesn't do it the same way Jack does it.

Then there's Teyla who, like I said in another thread some people think that she is a cheap copy of Teal'c. Some people said that the only reason she is in the show is that they needed an "alien" on the team. I think that it is a bit too early too early to be judging her or anyone else's acting talent right now. Plus, you're judging her on a "humans" point of view. Why do all the humans that we find across the galaxy have to be like us? They're not just people you could sit down and talk to. They come from a whole different culture.

Moving on. You're right, the Wraith aren't original but in the realm of SciFi, what is? There's only so many ideas that people can think of. Even the Goa'uld have been done before stargate. There are many stories by virtually unknown authors that have people who are controlled by aliens living inside them.

The acting on the show as a whole does need to improve, but it's not overly bad. Only time will tell if SGA will be a hit but I, personally like it. Also, the Wraith were mentioned to be only one dimensional. As true as this might be now, we really haven't explored their history that much yet. We woke them up and now their hungry. We all got to eat right? And I don't think that they destroyed the Ancients just because they were hungry. There's more to it than that. All in all, I think that there are certainly a few things that need to be worked out but in general, SGA is prett good. I look forward to see where it goes.

[aAnubiSs]

Orce please structure up your text =)

and UGLY: The design of the Wraith weapon.

[Orce]

Better?

[aAnubiSs]

Much. Thanks.

[Liv]

Lt. Ford is just TERRIBLE. He's a pathetic actor who doesn't look the part, nor does he do even a passable job as a so-called weapons expert. He's not even a flake of danruff on Chris Judge's new hair, IMO...and what kind of name is Rainbow Sun Franks?

Okay, first of all: What do you mean he doesn´t look the part? Second, making fun of his name... that´s kind of a cheap shot. What does the actor´s name have to do with anything?

[Erin]

THE GOOD:

Carson Beckett! I just love the character and the actor. I think he brings humor to the show when he's on it. I hope that we see more of the good Scottish Doctor!
Shepperd is pretty cool too. Actually, I think all the characters are very well likeable and have room to grow. All the characters are funny and have good senses of humor, even Teyla doesn't seem the classic stoic character, which gets old. She has life and personality.
McKay I love and always will. He brings sarcasm and humor to the show.


THE BAD: The new Stargate. I don't really like the none spinning gate that's so high tech. I also don't like how the show is kinda like Voyager. Not in every way, but the way that they seem stuck out there in another galaxy. I think Thor could easily take a ship out that way and pick em up.
I don't like Jinto's Father, I can't ever remember his name. I jut call him the Father, haha. I don't really like the character and every time I see him I think of him as the guy in Rivisions and how he doesn't remember his wife.
Another bad, the fact that you haven't really met any other of the dozen that have the gene. Let's meet them, we kinda have, but not yet and I understand the show's just started, but I do hope they will meet the gene guys.



THE UGLY: The Wraith are ugly! haha I like them, but they're still ugly, does that count?

[HIj'Qa]

I'm still giving the jello a little more time to set.

I like that there is some continuation from show to show, from turkey sandwiches to the locket.
I like McKay being abrasive, but it is very tricky.
I like internationalism. I like Grodin and Beckett more than Weir and Sheppard.

The cast doesn't always pull off the camaraderie lines very well.
The show might have Stargate people but none of the actors have series lead experience. RDH had all of MacGuyver under his belt. Experience.
The Wraith haven't made much of an appearance yet. The team hasn't explored many other worlds. The show hasn't really been doing its thing, yet.

Ugly, well, the kids are gone, the natives are gone, so my main ug is gone as well.

[Mio]

The Good:

The Visual effects and props and sets are SPECTACULAR. I would never have expected them to be this good. I love the new stargate, the City, the spectacular Quality of the Special Effects, It's all good!

I like the Theme song <nods>

McKay, Weir, Sheppard....and....eh....Peter? Was that his name? I like those 4 characters.

The Bad:

I don't care for Teyla. Or that guy....what's his name? With the Son, Jintoo or something like that. That guy was annoying, at best.

The Ugly:

There's only 20 episodes! <cry>

[Liv]

McKay, Weir, Sheppard....and....eh....Peter? Was that his name? I like those 4 characters.

Who´s Peter? I´m drawing a blank...

[Mio]

I'm not sure if that was his name. He's a guy who usually is sitting in a chair and informs us about what's going with Atlantis's technical stuff.

The guy who told us why McKay's shield didn't work on Sheppard.

Dr. Peter Grodin? I think that's the guy.

Edit: Just watched it, yes, that's him.

[yaaayoubetcha]

I think the thing to remember is that it's the first season. Few shows blast out of the gates in season 1. In recent memory I can only think of Alias.

The universe is the same, but the setting is so far removed from SG1 that SGA can't fall back on that like the Trek spinoffs did, and they all had crappy first seasons.

So far i like it, but am not overly impressed. The dialogue gives most of the plot away in the first quarter, the stories are as much character dev as arc dev (this is a good thing) and they're still fleshing out the universe...but I think once they've gotten through a season and the actors have had a chance to shore up their characters with time and repetition, they show will improve greatly.

[X304]

By he doesn't look the part, I mean that I'd think the "strongman" of the show should look well, strong....Every Sci-fi show needs a brute, from Worf to Teal'c, it's tradition...Ford doesn't fill that role well...

As for the name well, It's one of the weirdest I've ever seen....It sounds native american but he's definitely not native american....

[Liv]

I'm not sure if that was his name. He's a guy who usually is sitting in a chair and informs us about what's going with Atlantis's technical stuff.

The guy who told us why McKay's shield didn't work on Sheppard.

Dr. Peter Grodin? I think that's the guy.

Ah, okay, the guy who took a swing at McKay, right?